Justin Herbert was the most pressured quarterback in the league last year as he played behind one of the worst offensive lines in the sport. The LA Chargers were plagued with poor play on the interior and the worst injury luck imaginable at tackle. Both Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater suffered season-ending injuries at various points of the year.
Slater didn't play a game after tearing his patellar tendon during training camp. Alt suffered an ankle injury, came back from said ankle injury, and injured it further. All in all, the Chargers got 313 total snaps from their All-Pro-caliber tackle duo.
The health of these two is paramount to the Chargers' success in 2026. While it's impossible to predict any future injuries, it's imperative that both tackles do everything they can to be ready for Week 1. Thankfully, those efforts seem to be paying off, as both Alt and Slater were seen participating on the field during OTAs on Monday.
Rashawn Slater — who missed all of last season with a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee — is on the field for the first day of Chargers OTA’s.
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) April 20, 2026
Wait for the *wave* at end! pic.twitter.com/spOH4tgdhX
Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater are doing their part to dispel Chargers fans' injury concerns
It's not like Alt or Slater were doing any extensive workouts during OTAs, but it's still nice to see both tackles active and participating. Alt was seen doing full sprints on the field without a limp, signaling that his ankle may already be good to go for 2026.
This was a huge relief for fans plugged into social media on Monday morning. Alt was seen walking into the Chargers facility with what appeared to be a limp. Sure, Alt was walking a bit weird in the video, but the clips of him doing full sprints should remedy any concerns.
Having Alt and Slater healthy for the start of the 2026 season is extremely important for the Chargers. Los Angeles didn't invest in the offensive line as much as fans would have liked in free agency, likely banking on the fact that the two great tackles will raise the floor.
That doesn't happen if the tackles aren't actually on the field. Then the Chargers run into the same situation they had last year with a subpar interior offensive line that is held down even further by awful tackle play.
This could be the first of several promising developments for the Chargers' offensive line this week. The 2026 NFL Draft starts on Thursday and the Chargers are almost certainly going to take the team's next starting left guard in the first two rounds.
There is a long way to go until the Chargers suit up in a game that matters. But as it stands right now in mid-April, things are looking up.
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